Stop by the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center lobby from noon-1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11 to see the winning photographs from the Study Abroad 2026 experiences in the landscape/cultural categories and place your vote for your favorite photo in the animal category.
All photos were taken by students during their study abroad experiences in Kenya, Scotland, Guatemala and Italy.
Need more details? Email Marina Call mcall@nmc.edu
November 5, 2026
If you remember school as rows of desks with an instructor standing in front, consider joining students in two of NMC’s longest-running experiential learning projects this month, which showcase the college’s strategic goal to offer more classes like them.
NMC is a leader in experiential learning, which flips the traditional “learn to do” method of instruction to “doing to learn” by providing students with hands-on opportunities to solve real problems and engage in their community. That’s exactly what the 13th annual Thanks-for-Giving food drive and the 11th annual Walk for Health & Housing do.
The food drive, led by business students (pictured above), seeks to provide 215 Thanksgiving meal boxes to local families. Collection of food and financial donations is underway now, including a public Glow Skate event from 7-9 p.m. Friday at Howe Arena. Meals will be distributed Nov. 23.
The walk, set for Wednesday, Nov. 18, shows downtown Traverse City from the perspective of people experiencing homelessness and the providers who serve them. Departing from Central United Methodist Church, the 90-minute guided tour is a collaborative project involving social work, sociology and English classes held during National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week, Nov. 15–22.
Research shows students involved in experiential learning are more likely to persist through their college coursework and graduate. NMC offers a degree-accompanying endorsement that transcribes a student’s experiential learning into personal and professional skills sought by employers. Currently 105 students are enrolled, ahead of the 100-student target, which is nearly double the 2025–2026 endorsement enrollment.
Luke Klug, a 2026 graduate in construction management, earned the endorsement along with his degree. He is a project manager at Endura Performance Homes.
“The skills and the experiences that I went through through the endorsement helped build my confidence to go through the interview process,” said Klug, who moved into the role from a position as a carpenter at another company.
For his endorsement, Klug participated in a variety of activities, including studying sustainable building in Denmark. Key for him was a business class he took with Kristy McDonald, who also leads the Thanksgiving meal drive project.
“Having taken that class really helped me build those skills to have a conversation professionally,” Klug said.
McDonald, who co-directs NMC’s Experiential Learning Institute with Brandon Everest, the sociology instructor behind the walk, said they are intent on growing EL strategically, well beyond their own classes.
“As we expand experiential learning and intentionally embed a durable skills curriculum across NMC, our goal is to ensure more students have these transformative opportunities and can clearly communicate the skills they’ve gained to future employers and opportunities,” she said.
NMC’s analysis found that high school GPA and prior math performance were stronger indicators of success than simply taking another math course first.
Prior performance matters. Students earning a 3.0 or higher in MTH 111 later succeeded in MTH 121 75% of the time.
Note. MTH 121 only; excludes MTH 121/021
A recent poll asked respondents to name the two data points most important to their president or CEO.
Enrollment was named more than twice as often as retention, the second-highest response.
MDRC followed Washington’s on-time 2017 high school graduates and identified 18,498 students who enrolled in college but left without a credential.
Source: O’Donoghue et al. (2026), MDRC. Some College, No Credential.
Campus Life is hosting a volleyball tournament at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20 in the Rajkovich Physical Education Building. This tournament is open to all employees and current students.
Teams must sign up by 6 p.m. on November 20. For questions, please contact Marcus Bennett at mbennett@nmc.edu.
Thanks to Business 231 students for organizing a Glow Skate this Friday as part of their annual Thanks-for-giving food drive and experiential learning project. Enjoy fun on the ice and help a good cause from 7-9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6 at Howe Arena at the Grand Traverse County Civic Center.
Who’s been a Hawk Owl Helper or Hero for you? Let us know at publicrelations@nmc.edu!
TRAVERSE CITY — The community is invited to attend the 51st annual Mariners Memorial service, to take place Nov. 10 in the courtyard of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy on NMC’s Great Lakes Campus, 715 E. Front Street.
Held to remember and honor mariners who have perished on the Great Lakes and oceans, the memorial service is sponsored by the Student Propeller Club, Port 150, of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy.
The service begins at noon on Tuesday, November 10. Guests are invited to enter the facility through the glass exhibition hall and proceed into the outdoor courtyard on the north side (harbor side) of the Academy. Car pooling is encouraged due to limited parking on site.
For more information, call the Great Lakes Maritime Academy at (231) 995-1200.
Scott Fairbank
Great Lakes Maritime Academy
sfairbank@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1200
TRAVERSE CITY — Northwestern Michigan College invites the campus and community to attend its annual Veterans Day ceremonies beginning at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11. The ceremony will include:
In addition, NMC’s Aurora choral group will perform a Veterans Day concert at 7:30 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church. The program will feature patriotic music, American folk music and the world premiere of a new concert work: “American Mosaic.” This new piece, with text by Laura Knight Cobb and music by NMC Music Director Jeffrey Cobb, is a portrait of three strong women who helped shape the heart and soul of the United States: Sacagawea, Helen Keller and Sojourner Truth. Admission is by donation.
Serving those who have served is a year-round priority for NMC, currently recognized as a gold level Veteran-Friendly School by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency and a silver level Military Friendly School by the online community Miltary-Friendly.com. Among the services NMC offers to veteran students are:
In addition NMC offers opportunities to convert military service to academic credit. Find out more at nmc.edu/veterans.
Cari Noga
NMC Communications Director
cnoga@nmc.edu
(231) 392-1800 (mobile – call or text)
TRAVERSE CITY — The community is invited to join NMC students on Wednesday, Nov. 18 for the annual Walk for Health and Housing, a guided tour of downtown Traverse City from the perspective of people experiencing homelessness and the providers who serve them.
Ryan Hannon, leader of Central Outreach, will lead participants on the 90-minute walk departing from Central United Methodist Church, 222 Cass St., at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18. Central Outreach is a hub of services for people without housing in the area. Tour stops will highlight service and volunteering opportunities.
Free parking will be available beginning at 5 p.m. in Municipal Parking Lot B on North Cass Street.
In addition to the walk, students have organized a screening of the documentary, No Place to Grow Old at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17 in Scholars Hall room 109. The documentary explores the challenges and systemic barriers facing unhoused older adults. A facilitated discussion will follow the screening.
Both the walk and the film are part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, happening Nov. 15–19. Led by NMC faculty Lisa Blackford, Brandon Everest, and Melissa Sprenkle, students in NMC social work, sociology and English classes have collaborated on projects to support the week since 2015.
In addition to NMC and CUMC, the walk is sponsored by the Northwest Michigan Coalition to End Homelessness.
Lisa Blackford
Faculty, Social Sciences Area
lblackford@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1294
The following college events and stories have appeared in the media recently. We want to share your media involvement too. Please send information about your NMC-related interview or appearance to publicrelations@nmc.edu. If possible, please include a link to the piece and information about where and when it was used.
Please note access to some stories may be limited by paywalls set up by the media outlet. This includes the Traverse City Record-Eagle, which limits free clicks to five per month. You may also read Record-Eagle articles in the print edition at the NMC Library.
NMC campus to see new blooms next spring after student-led bulb planting
UpNorthLive, Nov.1
(more…)
National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is November 15-22. The community is invited to attend a powerful documentary screening that explores the challenges and systemic barriers facing unhoused older adults.
No Place To Grow Old examines issues that contribute to housing insecurity, including the lack of affordable housing, predatory lending practices and societal stigmas surrounding unhoused seniors. Through powerful stories and perspectives, the film encourages viewers to look beyond common misconceptions and better understand the complex realities of homelessness among older adults.
Event Details
Following the screening, attendees are invited to participate in a facilitated discussion to reflect on the film.
We appreciate the employees at NMC! Enjoy an extra discount at the NMC Campus Bookstore and the Dennos Museum Store November 17-19! All regular priced items are 25% off for all employees. Sale does not include clearance or consignment items.
The NMC Jazz Bands are partnering with Toys for Tots for our Swingin’ For The Season concert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5. We’ll be Swingin’ For The Season with special guest vocalists Kristi Fish, Rheanna Gilzene, and Kevin LaRose! We’re also continuing our partnership with Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Both the Lab Band and Big Band will be playing great holiday and seasonal Jazz, including music from Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, The Polar Express, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and more!
Each TOY DONATION for Toys for Tots gives you one free admission to the concert. You don’t need to purchase a ticket with a toy donation, and it’s a great opportunity to spread some holiday cheer for those less fortunate! Your new, unwrapped toy can be donated at the door, and we will have people collecting those toys in the lobby. Our event will take place in the magnificent Milliken Auditorium. Known for its state-of-the-art acoustics and comfortable seating, the Milliken Auditorium provides the perfect backdrop for this musical extravaganza. The NMC Jazz Bands, a conglomerate of talented NMC students and community musicians, are all set to dazzle the audience with their musical prowess.
NO TOY? NO PROBLEM!
Tickets are available in advance for a discount at NMC Music Department Events. Tickets at the door are $20 for adults and $15 for seniors/students. Exact change cash purchases at the door are appreciated! Contact the NMC Box Office line at (231) 995-1340 for questions or assistance purchasing tickets.
Free PDF downloads and pirated software from peer-to-peer sharing sites frequently bundle malware in the background. Stick to campus-approved resources — and remind your students of the same.
Join us for an interactive Pitch Coaching Workshop led by Nick Beadleston, Executive Director of the Grove Community Incubator. Learn how to speak with confidence, handle spontaneous questions under pressure and pitch ideas successfully.
When: Monday, November 2, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Where: Scholars Hall, room 209
To find these selections and many other new titles, see the NMC library catalog.
The Hawk Owl Café serves specials during the fall and spring semesters from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and from 4:30–6 p.m. The protein option is $10.99, and the vegetarian option (V) is $9.99. Learn more at nmc.edu/dining.
Chicken Fettuccine w/ Pesto Cream Sauce w/ Garlic Crostini & Broccoli
Roasted Veg (V) w/ Pesto Cream Sauce w/ Garlic Crostini & Broccoli
Beef BarbacoaTacos w/ Spanish Rice & Refried Beans
Jackfruit (V) w/ Spanish Rice & Refried Beans
Steak Stir Fry w/ Peppers & Onions & Jasmine Rice & Egg Roll
Tofu Stir Fry (V) w/ Peppers & Onions & Jasmine Rice & Egg Roll
Potato Gnocchi w/ Italian Sausage & Alfredo Sauce w/ Garlic Bread & Green Beans
Roasted Veg (V) w/ Alfredo Sauce w/ Garlic Bread & Green Beans
BBQ Pulled Pork on Brioche w/ Mac & Cheese & Asparagus
BBQ Jackfruit (V) on Brioche w/ Mac & Cheese & Asparagus
People often scan a page or listen to a screen reader’s list of links to find what they need. When several links say “learn more” or “click here,” their destinations are unclear. Descriptive link text saves time and supports everyone. Read more about how to add descriptive link text.
Did you know that your tuition waiver benefits extend beyond credit classes? Take a fitness class, learn a new hobby, or even enjoy a date night with your partner. Check out these exclusive employee passes (remember, you must be logged into your student account to view) and browse classes for you and yours this spring!
Mini Bakery Magic (For Adult & Child Age 6+)Big bakery fun comes in tiny, tasty packages! Measure, mix, scoop, and shape your way to adorable mini muffins, crisp apple crumbles, and fruit pies. These bite-sized bakes feature real fruit, oats, and whole grains, providing all the rich bakery flavor with less sugar. Read more about Mini Bakery Magic.
Saturday, November 7; 1–3 p.m.
Tuition waiver price: $46 for two people (Public price: $149)
Brew Better Coffee at HomeDo you ever wonder why your cup of coffee tastes amazing some days, and some days it’s just not quite right? Learn how to dial in your at-home brewing game to ensure a consistent cup every time, by understanding the variables impacting your coffee. Read more about Brew Better Coffee at Home.
Saturday, November 7; 12-1:30 p.m.
Tuition waiver price: $30 per person (Public price: $65)
Understanding the 2026 Midterm ResultsWhen the dust settles on the 2026 midterms, this session will analyze results through a long lens. What do they reveal about the tectonic pressures fissuring American democracy? Will polarization keep hardening our schisms, or will the tension snap and reshape the terrain for 2028 and beyond? Read more about Understanding the 2026 Midterm Results.
Saturday, November 7; 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Tuition waiver price: $22 per person (Public price: $49)